In response to queries during the introduction of the next stage of the Garda bodyworn camera scheme in Waterford City, Justice Minister Helen McEntee declared that religious orders need to take initiative and “admit their involvement” in revealing abuse and addressing the compensation for abuse victims. She strongly advocated that these religious institutions should volunteer their involvement in any compensation plans, and this needs to be structured thoroughly. Her statement clearly indicated that these orders ought to step forward willingly, hold themselves accountable, and make a noteworthy contribution to the compensation operations.
The Minister expressed difficulty in verbalising the reaction to the reports of abuse that have been made public, dating back to the not-so-distant past, describing the acts as unequivocally cruel. She stressed the ethical duty of all involved to see to it that the truth is unearthed, justice is served for the victims, and suitable compensation is provided.
Emphasising the need for religious orders to aid in the compensation scheme for the mistreatment in schools, Helen McEntee pointed out the urgency to expedite the investigations into school abuses, cautioning that such probes shouldn’t extend for long periods, considering the advancing age of numerous victims.
Joining the conversation, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris stated that the police would examine whether there was a systematised aspect in any of the abuses, like abusers colluding to pinpoint victims. He highlighted the national unit’s role in identifying any organised angles through its operation, but the possibility of discovering more victims remains uncertain.
While addressing in Cork, the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, relayed that the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, is eager to promptly commence a compensation scheme. He highlighted, though, that this initiative will require significant involvement from several other Government departments, particularly the Department of Public Expenditure.
Martin also emphasised the need to devise the compensation scheme well before the completion of any investigating commission, as such investigations typically take a substantial amount of time.
The Tánaiste also stated that the establishment of the terms of reference for the inquiry as well as the process of carrying it out could pose logistical challenges for all schools involved. He acknowledged that religious orders had often hindered the claims of individuals who had been sexually abused in religious-run schools and had frequently led to such individuals seeking legal recourse.
Underlining the unmistakable necessity for religious orders to contribute to the compensation scheme, he added that the state will have to ascertain the contribution percentage of religious orders.
On a similar note, the former Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, has revealed that the extent of sexual abuse exposed by the preliminary inquiry into schools surpasses what he witnessed during his tenure, terming it even worse. Reiterating his remark from 2018, he emotionally pointed out that Irish Catholicism was a “callous, tyrannical, severe religion”, a viewpoint Pope Francis also concurred with during his visit to Ireland in the same year.
Dr Martin, who served as the Archbishop of Dublin from 2004 to 2020, admitted to having read allegations of abuse by diocesan priests and tossed them in disbelief. The startling exposure of extensive sexual abuse in 17 special schools was particularly distressing, he said, given the vulnerability of the students. The extensive number of victims in these special schools greatly troubled him.
Dr. Martin criticised the paying schools because their focus caused a potentially higher number of instances of abuse at other schools to be overlooked. He laid blame on the Brothers of Charity for reassigning abusers despite the Catholic Church’s guidelines for managing such incidences in the 1970s and 1980s.
Dr. Martin expressed his disdain for leaders who opted not to follow the established norms to protect their institutions, claiming it resulted in significant harm to children and the reputation of their organisations. He urged the government to delegate responsibility to a senior individual to ensure victims receive compensation for their experiences.
He commended Louise O’Keefe, a sexual abuse survivor who challenged the State’s denial of responsibility for abuse in Irish schools in the European Court of Human Rights. According to Dr. Martin, it is crucial for the State to take the initiative in leading this charge or else the issue will be neglected.
He proposed that if the religious orders implicated in the inquiry were found guilty of actions with foreseeable damaging consequences, they should be held liable for compensation. Dr. Martin was relieved to see a plea from the garda for individuals to step forward, believing that if people felt safe and welcomed, they’d be more likely to assist in uncovering more information about these atrocities.
Dr. Martin expressed the need for any investigation should thoroughly cover the safeguarding aspect, and strongly condemned the exploitation of innocent children by sexual predators. He described the relocations of known abusers as nauseating.
In all his years dealing with crises, Dr. Martin stated that he held the highest admiration for the underprivileged, hardworking mothers who approached his predecessors imploring them to prevent their children from having similar traumatic experiences, but were repeatedly disregarded.
In the wake of releasing the findings from a probing inquiry conducted by lawyer Mary O’Toole, a statement has been jointly released by Blackrock College and Willow Park schools. The institutions hold the dubious record of attracting the most accusations of maltreatment, coming to a grand total of 185 cases. The spotlight was firmly focused on Blackrock following an independent investigation triggered by the troubling revelations from two siblings in a 2022 documentary who detailed their experiences of abuse. As of now, the count of former Spiritan school students alleging misconduct has reached 300.
The scale and duration of the inflicted abuses at Blackrock College and Willow Park schools, as disclosed in their collaborative statement post-inquiry, has been characterised as shockingly extensive and a disgraceful chapter in the schools’ chronicles. The victims are strongly urged to reach out to their Restorative Justice Programme.
The Spiritan Order, overseeing several schools including Blackrock, Rockwell College and Templeogue College, firmly denounced any category of sexual abuse occurring in their institutes. They called it shocking crimes committed against those most defenceless. The Order has assurances that comprehensive safety measures are operational across all their schools to ensure the welfare of their present-day pupils.
Audrey O’Byrne, Rockwell College principal admitted that past instances of abuse within the school lay a heavy weight of shame and regret on everyone. She advocated for the victims being an integral part of the Spiritans’ Restorative Justice Programme. The County Tipperary school, which commands a fee, is currently dealing with 60 allegations involving 18 different offenders.